I cannot resist an innovative haunted house book. In recent years I’ve been so impressed by Alison Rumiftt, Clarissa Orlando, and Johnny Compton for their unique takes on a sometimes-oversubscribed genre. Now here comes Rivers Solomon, with an incredibly disturbing, intelligent interpretation of familial horrors in Model Home. When the Maxwell siblings don’t hear from … Continue reading Review: Model Home, by Rivers Solomon (Macmillan Audio)
My Week in Reading, April 8th, 2024
What I’m Reading I finished Diavola, by Jennifer Thorne, which I loved. Her previous novel, Lute, is one of my recent favorites, and Diavola now joins that list. A family vacation in Italy goes incredibly wrong. I listened to the audiobook of The Purple Diaries, by Joseph Egan, which came highly recommended by a bookish … Continue reading My Week in Reading, April 8th, 2024
My Favorite Books of 2023
Read in 2022 I’ll start with some books that I had the pleasure of reading in 2022, that only came out this year. Monstrilio, by Gerardo Sámano Córdova (Zando) The Haunting of Alejandra, by V. Castro (Del Rey) White Cat, Black Dog, by Kelly Link (Random House) Lone Women, by Victor LaValle (One World) Faves … Continue reading My Favorite Books of 2023
Review: The Wishing Pool and Other Stories, by Tananarive Due (Akashic)
New Tananarive Due book klaxon!! Okay, some of these stories have already been published elsewhere, but any new work from Due is cause for celebration. Due has broken this work into sections; Wishes, The Gracetown Stories, The Nayima Stories, and Future Shock. The Wishes section contains my favorite stories; tales with a hint of the … Continue reading Review: The Wishing Pool and Other Stories, by Tananarive Due (Akashic)
My Week in Reading – Jan. 16th, 2023
I had two cracking finds in my local library bookstore this week. Will found the first one. I’ve wanged on previously about how Roald Dahl’s short story The Hitchhiker opened me up to the wonderful world of short stories. Strangely, I don’t see too many of his books “out in the wild”, so I was … Continue reading My Week in Reading – Jan. 16th, 2023
Listen for the Screams – My Favorite Free Audio Horror
If you're anything like me, you need something to block out the voices in your head as you go about your daily business. Luckily for you, I've sourced the best in free, quality horror to replace your internal monologue with unsettling tales. The Hotel - Daisy Johnson I think about Daisy Johnson's debut novel, Everything … Continue reading Listen for the Screams – My Favorite Free Audio Horror
Reading Ramblings
At the moment I’m reading The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher, and by god it is one of the most terrifying things I’ve read for a long time. It took me a little while to get used to Kingfisher’s writing style, which is a unique mixture of casual humor, and absolutely devastating terror. But it is a … Continue reading Reading Ramblings
Bookish Bluster – July 31, 2020
On My Read-Ar Two very exciting books were released this week. Laura van den Berg's new collection, I Hold a Wolf by the Ears, described as "an urgent and unsettling collection of women on the verge". Yes please! And I'm incredibly intrigued by Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings. "A beguiling story that proves that gothic delights … Continue reading Bookish Bluster – July 31, 2020
Book Bumblings- June 18
On My Read-ar (geddit?) Lots of big exciting releases coming up in the next year. Some favorite authors, some new names. Which are you most excited about? Mexican Gothic - Silvia Moreno-Garcia (US release June 30, 2020)Tender is the Flesh - Agustina Bazterrica (US release Aug 4, 2020)Sisters - Daisy Johnson (US release Aug 25, … Continue reading Book Bumblings- June 18
Literary Nonsense – June 8th, 2020
It all seems a bit silly to even consider anything as frivolous as reading at the moment. But given there is evidence that those who read fiction are more empathetic than your average person, maybe now is more important than ever to talk about books. Black Lives Matter I widen my perspective through reading, and … Continue reading Literary Nonsense – June 8th, 2020
California Reading 